Nov 20, 2013, 7:48 am
Last edit by: Pat89339
Do not call the airlines under any conditions! This is the fastest way to kill the trick and bring unwanted attention to your itinerary! And do not post precious deals in this thread, this is by far the fastest way to kill the trick!
************************************************** ******
This is NOT the right place to ask: "Can you help me with a low fare for AAA-BBB?" This is not the beg-it thread, but the trick-it thread.
This thread deals with unique combinations of routes and booking tricks in order to lower prices on airline fares. Prices that would astound the general public are often achieved by the posters in this thread.
Many people, including airline representatives, monitor this thread. For that reason, it is unorganized, very content heavy, often lacking details, and written in shorthand. It takes patience and effort in order to understand the conversation and be able to participate as an active member.
We encourage you to read the entirety of this thread if you would like to get started and to experiment as soon as you understand the gist of Trick It. Lots of time spent reading, practicing, and learning is the only way to be able to reproduce our tricks and discover new ones yourself. There are many, many people who ask for advice here, so productive members are only able to help those who have shown a concerted effort and progress over a long period of time (months).
If you have no idea what this thread is about, a good place to start are various blogs' posts on the subject. At the very least, read the Rules for posting in this thread. They're also listed in the very first post, below.
Older portions of the thread have been separated into archive thread by year. They are listed below
2008 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2009 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2010 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2011 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2012 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2013 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2014 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
************************************************** ******
This is NOT the right place to ask: "Can you help me with a low fare for AAA-BBB?" This is not the beg-it thread, but the trick-it thread.
This thread deals with unique combinations of routes and booking tricks in order to lower prices on airline fares. Prices that would astound the general public are often achieved by the posters in this thread.
Many people, including airline representatives, monitor this thread. For that reason, it is unorganized, very content heavy, often lacking details, and written in shorthand. It takes patience and effort in order to understand the conversation and be able to participate as an active member.
We encourage you to read the entirety of this thread if you would like to get started and to experiment as soon as you understand the gist of Trick It. Lots of time spent reading, practicing, and learning is the only way to be able to reproduce our tricks and discover new ones yourself. There are many, many people who ask for advice here, so productive members are only able to help those who have shown a concerted effort and progress over a long period of time (months).
If you have no idea what this thread is about, a good place to start are various blogs' posts on the subject. At the very least, read the Rules for posting in this thread. They're also listed in the very first post, below.
Older portions of the thread have been separated into archive thread by year. They are listed below
2008 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2009 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2010 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2011 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2012 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2013 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
2014 Trick It / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
Trick it / negotiate it / special savings lounge thread
Nov 2, 2015, 1:37 am
#4216
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,265
Super clean construction ^.
Unfortunately, no similar trick for a 5th freedom flight on the same carrier. Works only with a less convenient strike and requires a higher fare class.
Last edited by Epicura; Nov 2, 2015 at 3:00 am
Nov 2, 2015, 1:39 am
#4218
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 205
[QUOTE=WolfvanWeen;25649743]I'm relatively new to this, so forgive my ignorance of the past, but are OTAs becoming more difficultt to use by the day? I see the most absurd routings pop up even when I search for undumped itineraries that are just a bit more complicated than a normal return.
(I guess we can all agree that the Matrix is much less helpful than a year ago)[
Matrix is almost useless lately
Too many errors, no updated avaibility ...
(I guess we can all agree that the Matrix is much less helpful than a year ago)[
Matrix is almost useless lately
Too many errors, no updated avaibility ...
Nov 2, 2015, 1:42 am
#4219
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: MHG
Posts: 168
I'm relatively new to this, so forgive my ignorance of the past, but are OTAs becoming more difficultt to use by the day? I see the most absurd routings pop up even when I search for undumped itineraries that are just a bit more complicated than a normal return.
(I guess we can all agree that the Matrix is much less helpful than a year ago)
(I guess we can all agree that the Matrix is much less helpful than a year ago)
Nov 2, 2015, 2:04 am
#4220
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
Yes, there seems to be an issue with certain carriers where married segments are not recognized as such anymore when you run a multi-segment search. For instance you may find A-B-C in the lowest BK when you search for A-C. But when you search for A-B and B-C, you'll get useless results. First time I noticed this was around July/August.
Totally contrary to optimization. Actually Optimization in reverse.
Useless indeed. Capacity constraints do not support the "options" presented.
Often even a simple AAA- BBB or DDD or FFF poops out.
and what is that "Additional Stop" stuff.
Last edited by WingedWorldExplorer; Nov 2, 2015 at 3:47 am
Nov 2, 2015, 2:42 am
#4221
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: MHG
Posts: 168
It allows you to search e.g. non-stop OR one-stop. I haven't found a "pro scenario" where that option could be useful. I think it's rather made for people who do not specify the search with ITA routing codes.
The married segment issue I mentioned is not only a matrix problem but screws up OTA searches as well. Very annoying if you want to fly through a specific hub or specify the length of the layover.
The married segment issue I mentioned is not only a matrix problem but screws up OTA searches as well. Very annoying if you want to fly through a specific hub or specify the length of the layover.
Nov 2, 2015, 2:46 am
#4222
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
So maybe it's the GDSs that run into some barriers? Not designed for that many searches in parallel? They were built at a time when only industry specialists had access....
Nov 2, 2015, 3:03 am
#4223
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: MHG
Posts: 168
I'm pretty sure the problem arises from a GDS level. But it's new and not related to tricked itins. Maybe the affected carriers closed some loophole in the married segments logic and killed alternative search patterns with it.
Last edited by pimpcoltd; Nov 2, 2015 at 3:19 am
Nov 2, 2015, 7:20 am
#4224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,447
Side-trips permitted simply means that you're allowed to book e.g. LHR-FRA-LHR inbetween your JFK-LHR-JFK round-trip. It's nearly always permitted and practically unenforcable if it were not permitted anyway. I think it serves as a way to say "you cant do this" if the combination of JFK-LHR RT and LHR-FRA RT is cheaper than a JFK-LHR-FRA RT.
A) that's rarely the case
B) who's gonna tell the airline you booked a sidetrip if it's with a different airline
C) even if it's the same airline, what agent is gonna check that?
So.... "Side-trips permitted" is something nobody should pay attention to. Also unrelated to fuel dumping.
A) that's rarely the case
B) who's gonna tell the airline you booked a sidetrip if it's with a different airline
C) even if it's the same airline, what agent is gonna check that?
So.... "Side-trips permitted" is something nobody should pay attention to. Also unrelated to fuel dumping.
Nov 2, 2015, 7:32 am
#4225
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: BHX
Posts: 87
C1 - C2.5 RT with an interesting X from 198/$218
This particular X prices the same whether it is used as an appetiser or as dessert!
I don't recall many that have this ability, OTA specific for this price but it's available on many OTAs for slightly more..
I don't recall many that have this ability, OTA specific for this price but it's available on many OTAs for slightly more..
Last edited by Flying4less; Nov 2, 2015 at 8:00 am
Nov 2, 2015, 7:59 am
#4226
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: BHX
Posts: 87
C2 - C1w RT 92/128/$141 with dessert
An Italian friend asked recently if i could look into finding himself and his brother a RT flight to C1w next year.. Preferably for as cheap as possible!
He was delighted when i told him it was possible for 92 each!!
I did mention that other C1 cities were available for <90 RT but he was insistent on C1w!
Even ITA was happy with this one ^
He was delighted when i told him it was possible for 92 each!!
I did mention that other C1 cities were available for <90 RT but he was insistent on C1w!
Even ITA was happy with this one ^
Last edited by Flying4less; Nov 2, 2015 at 9:24 am
Nov 2, 2015, 9:48 am
#4227
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, England
Posts: 77
An Italian friend asked recently if i could look into finding himself and his brother a RT flight to C1w next year.. Preferably for as cheap as possible!
He was delighted when i told him it was possible for 92 each!!
I did mention that other C1 cities were available for <90 RT but he was insistent on C1w!
Even ITA was happy with this one ^
He was delighted when i told him it was possible for 92 each!!
I did mention that other C1 cities were available for <90 RT but he was insistent on C1w!
Even ITA was happy with this one ^
Damn - I need friends like you too!
Nov 2, 2015, 12:31 pm
#4228
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: PetCo Pals Rewards
Posts: 531
Side-trips permitted simply means that you're allowed to book e.g. LHR-FRA-LHR inbetween your JFK-LHR-JFK round-trip. It's nearly always permitted and practically unenforcable if it were not permitted anyway. I think it serves as a way to say "you cant do this" if the combination of JFK-LHR RT and LHR-FRA RT is cheaper than a JFK-LHR-FRA RT.
A) that's rarely the case
B) who's gonna tell the airline you booked a sidetrip if it's with a different airline
C) even if it's the same airline, what agent is gonna check that?
So.... "Side-trips permitted" is something nobody should pay attention to. Also unrelated to fuel dumping.
A) that's rarely the case
B) who's gonna tell the airline you booked a sidetrip if it's with a different airline
C) even if it's the same airline, what agent is gonna check that?
So.... "Side-trips permitted" is something nobody should pay attention to. Also unrelated to fuel dumping.
Couldn't this open up the possibility for fuel dumping if the LHR-FRA serves as a strike on the JFK-LHR route?
Nov 2, 2015, 4:41 pm
#4230
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
An Italian friend asked recently if i could look into finding himself and his brother a RT flight to C1w next year.. Preferably for as cheap as possible!
He was delighted when i told him it was possible for 92 each!!
I did mention that other C1 cities were available for <90 RT but he was insistent on C1w!
Even ITA was happy with this one ^
He was delighted when i told him it was possible for 92 each!!
I did mention that other C1 cities were available for <90 RT but he was insistent on C1w!
Even ITA was happy with this one ^